Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Simmons Aetec scopes

Any experience with this scope? Would appreciate responses from actual users.

Not a bad scope for the money. I have had good luck with them on some beater rifles.

I talked to another repected member here who really likes them, I have not ever seen one but would like to try one out.

Let us know if you get one.

Well, there are several "vintages" of those scopes floating around.. The first and the one that made the good rep for the Aetecs were the older Phillipine made scopes. Overall they were better quality than the 44 mag series(which many folks also liked for an economy scope). I know several local fellows here that use older Aetecs on .300 mags and so far they have held up. They like the scopes.


Simmons stopped sourcing there scopes in the Phillipines around 2005. The newer scopes are marked "Master Series". They are made in China and debuted around 2006 under the MEADE ownership. The scopes are now imported by Bushnell who owns Simmons. The new designs have th new rear spring erector system which is simpler and makes for a lighter scope. The scopes in all the variable models are light for their power and lense sizes. Most of them are under 14 ounces.

I have used three Master series scopes so far -all three made for Meade. The Low end Prosport in a 3-9x was a $30 affair I put on a rimfire rifle. It performed like a $30 scope, too.

The other Two recent Simmons I have owned were one 4-14x Aetec and the other is a 6-21x Pro-Hunter which is the line they orgionally had just under the Aetecs for a while after they discontinued the 44 mag series. Both scopes had side focus knobs.

The Meade Aetec 4-14x was a little disapointing. The eye relief was very critical and was relatively short at just over 3". Optically, I did not like it any better than the old 44mag and ATV scopes I have.There was quite a bit of bow distortion in the image at low power. For about $200, there are way better scopes out there right now,IMHO.

The second scope, the new Pro-Hunter 6-21x was a pleasant surprise. It was optically at LEAST as good as the new Aetec. It had over 4" of constant eye relief ,not very critical at all given the power range. The combination of the longer Eye relief and the longer tube length at the rear allowed me to put it on a very accrurate Ruger No 1 in .22 Hornet. So far it tracks lik a champ and works great on that rifle.It also does something few other scopes do which is offer plenty of eye relief when mounted on a Ruger no.1 wiothout having to crawl the stock.

In the last year, ATK has brough back the "44mag" brand. Basically, what they did was "poach" the higher end variables off of the Pro Hunter line to do it. Other than the Name change, they apear to be the same exact scopes with minor changes.

One real improvement ATK has made on the new 44 mags over the older Pro- Hunters is the fact they added actual Yardage markings to the side focus rings. The early Pro-Hunters just had circles increasing sizes.

If I were in the market for a new made Simmons scope, I would stick with the 44mag series. Most of them cost between $99 and about $175 street price . From what I have seen,I think they will work better for the dollar spent than the new Aetecs unless they have improved those DRASTICALLY over the last year or so.

My nephew in coyote country in eastern Oregon put the 4-14 Aetec on his .243 whizzum and says that it is for sure the best scope he has and he has three or four Luepolds. He has had it for about three years with no problems.

I have a Pro Hunter on my Kimber 7-08 and after showing it to a died-in-the-wool Luepold friend he has acquired two of them and is now checking to see if they offer a six power . Really fell in love with the Simmons.

So, reckon I'm gonna try the 4-14 soon. I'll post my experiences with it soon as I can. I may be wrong but just don't see where an illuminated recticle would do me any good but I have never used one. Whatta you think ?

Back in 2005, when the new Mead owned Simmons hit the market, I tried one out on my 358-WSM.

A 3-9 Aetec Master Series.

The Glass was clear and bright.

Shooting of a 3 legged bench in the back of my pick-up, out over the cab, with a chronograph supported in a tripod upon the hood of the truck, all seemed well....

At the shot, I heard what sounded like someone tossing a stone into the back of my truck. But..... It was the ocular of the scope that was sheared off from the recoil falling to the floor in the bed of my truck.

Seems that the plastic pin which held this portion of the scope onto the rest of the tube, failed.

Perhaps on a lesser recoiling rifle they would be great, as I found that for the money, they were clear.

Did Simmons replace the scope? I understand that they carry a lifetime warranty. Just wondering how their service is.

Well, that's a good question. I returned it to the dealer, and he just shook his head, and gave me my money back.

I understand that Simmons did look into that "weakness."

Because of their warranty, I fully suspect that they made it right with the dealer.

I have some early "Whitetail Classic" scopes that have been on my single-shot 12 gauges, and they are still going strong with Turkey Loads and Winchester Supreme Partitions slug loads.

My understanding about their "Service" is that they have integrity.

Well, Bushnell owns Simmons now, so the warranty service should be pretty solid.


If you are the orgional owner and a Simmons fails due to workmanship, I should think they would replace it immediately at no cost.

As with any product with a limited warrantee ,SAVE YOUR PURCHASE RECIEPTS.

It's a good idea to throw them in the orgional box and save it.

I have an old Aetec 2.8-10 that was very reliable on my .223 bolt gun. It has been on a bunch of guns through the last couple years while I saved money for Leupolds and has never let me down. The objective has a dent in it from my shifter and the rubber eye piece is gone but it always held zero. Silver and made in the Phillipines. She aint pretty, but if you wanna try one out I'll make you a good deal.

i have had a few aetecs in the past and loved them i have two now , one of which is on a .300 ultra mag for about two years and i shoot it quite a bit so that should tell you how well it handles recoil

Thanks, but I have already ordered the 4-14 X 44. Now I gotta get some taller rings. O well.

Imartin, sounds like you got one of the good ones. My heaviest recoiling rifle nowdays is a .308 so the Atec I have on order should work very well for me.

I purchased 3 of the Aetec scopes some years ago. I suppose this was the Philippines manufacturing era. I have a 3-9X40 illuminated reticle on a .223 used for predators. I & many of my friends have used this rifle/scope for hunting predators at night. Good optics & since it works so well why change. The other Aetecs were given to relatives that have them on 270's. They hunt close to home for Whitetails & do not abuse their scopes like I do. They both continue to use the scopes & are pleased with the optics. Neither has ever used high end optics so they have no comparisons. I travel to hunt in many states & countries so I only use better scopes like Swarovski, Conquest, & Leupolds. I would believe the Simmons is fine for a non-magnum cheap truck gun or where you don't subject the scope to a lot of abuse.

the ATK model scope is sold under the Weaver name now though not Simons. just incase it wasn't clear.